1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to nonvolatile memory devices for use as memory storage in an electronic device and in particular to nonvolatile memory arrays that use electromechanical elements as the individual memory cells.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Important characteristics for a memory cell in electronic device are low cost, nonvolatility, high density, low power, and high speed. Conventional memory solutions include Read Only Memory (ROM), Programmable Read only Memory (PROM), Electrically Programmable Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and Static Random Access Memory (SRAM).
ROM is relatively low cost but cannot be rewritten. PROM can be electrically programmed but with only a single write cycle. EPROM has read cycles that are fast relative to ROM and PROM read cycles, but has relatively long erase times and reliability only over a few iterative read/write cycles. EEPROM (or “Flash”) is inexpensive, and has low power consumption but has long write cycles (ms) and low relative speed in comparison to DRAM or SRAM. Flash also has a finite number of read/write cycles leading to low long-term reliability. ROM, PROM, EPROM and EEPROM are all non-volatile, meaning that if power to the memory is interrupted the memory will retain the information stored in the memory cells.
DRAM stores charge on transistor gates that act as capacitors but must be electrically refreshed every few milliseconds complicating system design by requiring separate circuitry to “refresh” the memory contents before the capacitors discharge. SRAM does not need to be refreshed and is fast relative to DRAM, but has lower density and is more expensive relative to DRAM. Both SRAM and DRAM are volatile, meaning that if power to the memory is interrupted the memory will lose the information stored in the memory cells.
Consequently, existing technologies are either non-volatile but are not randomly accessible and have low density, high cost, and limited ability to allow multiples writes with high reliability of the circuit's function, or they are volatile and complicate system design or have low density. Some emerging technologies have attempted to address these shortcomings.
For example, magnetic RAM (MRAM) or ferromagnetic RAM (FRAM) utilizes the orientation of magnetization or a ferromagnetic region to generate a nonvolatile memory cell. MRAM utilizes a magnetoresisitive memory element involving the anisotropic magnetoresistance or giant magnetoresistance of ferromagnetic materials yielding nonvolatility. Both of these types of memory cells have relatively high resistance and low-density. A different memory cell based upon magnetic tunnel junctions has also been examined but has not led to large-scale commercialized MRAM devices. FRAM uses a circuit architecture similar to DRAM but which uses a thin film ferroelectric capacitor. This capacitor is purported to retain its electrical polarization after an externally applied electric field is removed yielding a nonvolatile memory. FRAM suffers from a large memory cell size, and it is difficult to manufacture as a large-scale integrated component. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,853,893; 4,888,630; 5,198,994
Another technology having non-volatile memory is phase change memory. This technology stores information via a structural phase change in thin-film alloys incorporating elements such as selenium or tellurium. These alloys are purported to remain stable in both crystalline and amorphous states allowing the formation of a bistable switch. While the nonvolatility condition is met, this technology appears to suffer from slow operations, difficulty of manufacture and reliability and has not reached a state of commercialization. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,448,302; 4,845,533; 4,876,667; 6,044,008.
Wire crossbar memory (MWCM) has also been proposed. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,128,214; 6,159,620; 6,198,655. These memory proposals envision molecules as bistable switches. Two wires (either a metal or semiconducting type) have a layer of molecules or molecule compounds sandwiched in between. Chemical assembly and electrochemical oxidation or reduction are used to generate an “on” or “off” state. This form of memory requires highly specialized wire junctions and may not retain non-volatility owing to the inherent instability found in redox processes.
Recently, memory devices have been proposed which use nanoscopic wires, such as single-walled carbon nanotubes, to form crossbar junctions to serve as memory cells. See WO 01/03208, Nanoscopic Wire-Based Devices, Arrays, and Methods of Their Manufacture; and Thomas Rueckes et al., “Carbon Nanotube-Based Nonvolatile Random Access Memory for Molecular Computing,” Science, vol. 289, pp. 94–97, 7 Jul., 2000. Hereinafter these devices are called nanotube wire crossbar memories (NTWCMs). Under these proposals, individual single-walled nanotube wires suspended over other wires define memory cells. Electrical signals are written to one or both wires to cause them to physically attract or repel relative to one another. Each physical state (i.e., attracted or repelled wires) corresponds to an electrical state. Repelled wires are an open circuit junction. Attracted wires are a closed state forming a rectified junction. When electrical power is removed from the junction, the wires retain their physical (and thus electrical) state thereby forming a non-volatile memory cell.
The NTWCM proposals to date rely on directed growth or chemical self-assembly techniques to grow the individual nanotubes needed for the memory cells. These techniques are now believed to be difficult to employ at commercial scales using modern technology. Moreover, they may contain inherent limitations such as the length of the nanotubes that may be grown reliably using these techniques, and it may difficult to control the statistical variance of geometries of nanotube wires so grown.